Special Coverage

Mistical Plan too fast for foes

NEW ORLEANS- Mistical Plan used her speed to fashion a gate-to-wire score Saturday in the Grade 2, $400,000 Fair Grounds Oaks, immediately moving her into consideration for the Kentucky Oaks.

Jockey Corey Nakatani broke Mistical Plan alertly from her rail position and they led every step of the way. Nakatani had her running easily through fractions of 23.57 and 46.99 seconds with Appealing Zophie chasing her on the outside.

"She was getting some pressure, but my main goal was to let her be comfortable," said Nakatani.

Jockey John Velazquez sent Appealing Zophie after the lead on the far turn, but Mistical Plan pulled away from that rival, who stopped, impeding the rally of favored Octave and Garrett Gomez, who had to settle for second place.

"I thought I was following the right horse in Appealing Zophie," said Gomez, "but she stopped dead right in front of me." By the time Octave got clear, Gomez said, Mistical Plan "was gone."

Mistical Plan ($16.40), a

3-year-old Game Plan filly trained by Doug O'Neill for owner J.oPaul Reddam, scampered home by 3 1/4 lengths, getting the 1 1/16 miles in 1:44.02.

"Today, I just let her run her best race," said Nakatani.

Whatdreamsrmadeof ran on well another 3 1/4 lengths back in third, with Dawn After Dawn 3 1/4 lengths farther back in fourth.

Bienville: Smitty's Sunshine wires

In the $100,000 Bienville Stakes, Smitty's Sunshine blazed her way to an easy three-length score. Robby Albarado sent her right to the lead, with Miss Penny Fortune pressing her down the backstretch through a quarter-mile in 21.60 seconds.

After running the half-mile in 44.39, Smitty's Sunshine gradually pulled away through the stretch, getting the 5 1/2 furlongs on the grass in 1:02.92, just missing the track record of 1:02.90. She paid $4.80 as the favorite. Somethinaboutbetty was another 2 1/4 lengths back in third, three-quarters of a length ahead of Costume Designer.